Apple to open first Latin American global flagship store in early 2019

Construction of Apple's first global flagship store to serve the Latin American market is underway in a Mexico City mall, with the company aiming for a grand opening in early 2019.

Apple has secured permission to create a large, single-story standalone outlet at Antara Fashion Hall in Ciudad de Mexico's (CDMX) upscale Polanco district, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Previously, the company planned to take over a multi-level store vacated by Crate & Barrel last year, but that structure, which was attached to the Antara mall proper, has since been demolished. Apple will instead use the space to erect a separate, single-story building on mall property.

The forthcoming store is expected to boast the usual trappings of a flagship outlet, including a boardroom for enterprise clients, the person said.

As seen in the photo above, contractors have extended barriers from the main building to the nearby sidewalk in preparation of construction, extra space that could make way for an immense outdoor plaza.

Apple's most recent retail flagships feature a "town square" design, complete with public meeting areas for customers and passersby. Dreamed up by SVP of Retail Angela Ahrendts, the concept is meant to foster a feeling of community around each store.

For example, the Michigan Avenue flagship in Chicago that opened in October incorporates tree-covered seating along a grand staircase flanking the glass-walled edifice. Indoor benches installed on a tiered second floor overlook the sales floor and offer views of the Chicago River.

A plaza design also features heavily in Apple's proposed Australian flagship, which includes landscaping contingencies to increase surrounding greenery while creating space for visitors to meet and relax.

Apple signed the lease for its upcoming Antara Hall location last year, just six months after opening its first retail store in Mexico's Centro Santa Fe mall. That outlet continues to outperform, with strong consumer sales and enterprise services revenue, the person said.